May 22, 2018
A Russian Orthodox Priest, 5,691 Miles from Home
As Jess Marquez reports, Father Andrey Kudriavtsev made a long pilgrimage before ending up in Sparks, Nevada.
From Kiev with Purpose
Nestled into the framework of Pyramid Way in Sparks is the Holy Royal Martyrs of Russia Orthodox Church. It is a quaint, homely building with traditional church-like accents and even a miniature onion dome. There are about five parking spaces, and enough space inside for a small congregation– it is the only Russian Orthodox church for about sixty miles. For a while, they did not even have a priest on staff, until Father Andrey Kudriavtsev passed through last year and decided to stick around.
Kudriavtsev is a native of the Ukraine, and has been working as a priest in the Orthodox church since 1993. “It all took place in Kiev,” he said, “and it started soon after the breakup of the Soviet Union.”*
He worked to restore multiple monasteries in Kiev, and also spent some time in a small Russian town where his wife’s relatives lived.
“So, my occupation has been mainly that of a priest, but simultaneously I was the chairman of a social organization in the field of religious education,” he said. “I have published written works, articles.”
Last year, he received an invitation from the Western American Diocese of the church to come here on a pilgrimage to visit the parishes on the west coast of the United States. This is a common practice in the Orthodox church, and part of his duties back home included directing pilgrimage trips across the Ukraine.
Enjoying Nature and the Church’s Work
As it stands right now, Father Andrey Kudriavtsev is the only Russian Orthodox priest in town. When he first came to Reno in August of last year he was just planning to visit, but after seeing that they had no priest on staff, the church asked him to stay on an interim basis, and he has been here ever since.
As he acquainted himself with Reno, he became fond of the views and surrounding landscape.
“Me coming from Kiev, which has a lot of picturesque places, I was pleased to see the nature of this town, and it pleases me that the authorities pay a lot of attention to maintaining parks, and nature in general,” he said. “Plant life, ducks, geese, squirrels, you see all that around here.”
As far as a work schedule, his trip to Reno has been anything but a vacation. There are about two and half hours of services every day, and Kudriavtsev also assists with the parish newsletter, which produces two attachments, one for adults as well as one for children.
He has also spent a lot of time with individual members of the church, extending himself to accommodate them and speak with them about any spiritual matters. The church is very active and supportive, and when he arrived here he was admittedly regretful that even though the community had been around for 16 years, there was no priest on staff.
No Place for Politics
Kudriavtsev explained that the Reno community has been extremely accepting of him and his culture, and that all the interactions he has had so far, even with his limited English, have been pleasant.
“We have local folks, Americans come to our services occasionally,” he said. “There is a bus stop right out there, so there are people coming and going. I remember being outside, shoveling snow, and talking to people.”
With regards to the current controversies surrounding the United States and Russia, Kudriavtsev remains certain that there must always be a separation between church and state. He mentioned how, as a Ukrainian, he sees these problems from a different perspective, and tries to resolve conflicts among the people.
“My policy has been that there is no place for politics in the church,” he said. “Every time I sense a conflict among the parishioners I attempt to dampen it and to silence it.”
However, he is not completely immune to controversy, with violence ever present back in his home country. Although he worries for his family– “I’m still a Ukrainian citizen with a Ukrainian passport”– he is steadfast in his faith, and has confidence that what is happening now is simply an obstacle that the nation must overcome on their way to becoming better people.
“Come and See”
The future is simple and straightforward, and he approaches every day the same way. “The heavenly kingdom,” he said. “The life to come– that’s the first thing. Everything else will attach.”
When asked if he had any parting thoughts for anybody that may be curious about the church, he smiled through his long beard and leaned forward:
“In the words of the Heavenly Father, come and see.”
*All quotes were translated thanks to the help of church warden Mikhail Utkin.
